I'm tired of hearing teachers and their unions pleading in commercials and newspapers that ''It's the children's loss'' at budget time. The fact is, it's not about the children, but protecting salaries, lifelong pensions and ''premium'' health insurance.

I would like to educate all of you about the realities of the private sector workers. Unlike government employees, many private sector workers have to pay over 50 percent of their ''not premium'' health insurance costs. On top of that, most of us are lucky that our employers will match up to 5 percent in our retirement funds, if that. So not only do private sector workers have to try to save something for retiring around 65 or 70 years old, but they also have to foot the bill for luxury retirements for public employees who retire around the age of 55 years old.

Be grateful in your golden years that you don't have to pick which food or medications you can afford this month, or that you don't have to return part-time to the workforce to make ends meet.

If you really want to be about the ''importance of education,'' I suggest you support your pensions and health care with more than 25 percent of your salaries, and then there would be plenty of money for resources in the schools for children.

Be part of the solution of out-of-control government spending rather than part of the cause of budget restraints and layoffs in the school district.